Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Holiday Beauty Tips from a Pro

Following our lovely Megan's holiday party looks, we have Amy Linda from Estée Lauder as our first official beauty contributor! Have you ever known someone who always seems to have mastered the latest beauty trends already, just as you're just hearing of them? That's Amy. Which is why I asked her to give us some product recommendations and advice on holiday beauty. Today she's talking about trends, classics, and tips.

Introducing our Beauty Contributor, Amy Linda!

Amy: The holiday season is the best time of year to experiment and do more than your typical party makeup. For evening events you can go for a bold look with lots of sparkle without looking too dramatic or overdone. One of my favorite looks for eyes is to go with a beautiful metallic gold all over the lids. I love Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Goldstone; every time I wear this shadow I get so many compliments. And it's so easy to use - just use your finger to spread the shadow over the lid. You can increase the intensity of the shimmer by adding more layers. I then finish the look by using Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel liner and mascara. I would recommend pairing this eye withLaura Mercier Stick Gloss in Black Orchid.It’s a dark plum with a sheer finish and is easy to apply. Pair the eye and lip with a small amount of a rosy pink blush- I recommend Bobbi Brown Peony.

Amy: Another great sparkly color for the season is Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow in Comex Copper. This shadow gives a great metallic and sparkly look for those who want to make a statement. The copper tone is super on trend for the season and is a little bit different than a regular gold shadow. To use this product you can use your finger to apply, and again finish with black liner and mascara. I would also pair this eye with Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Mascate. It is a rust color red and goes great with the eyes. Remember with a bold lip and sparkly eye you want to go with something natural on the cheek - I recommend a light shimmery bronzer. The whole look is copper perfection!

Amy: The last holiday look I recommend is the bold smoky eye- which some find tricky to apply. The key is not to be shy and really go for it! I like to use Smashbox Smoke Box II. First use the bone color all over the lid to even out skin tone, then apply the grey shadow over the lid. Using a shader brush apply the dark maroon shade in the crease, or if you are feeling really bold you can use the black shade. Don’t be upset if some of the color falls under the eye as you apply- you can always wipe away and use cover-up after. Once you apply the dark shade to the crease, blend everything using a brush that has no color on it (I always keep a separate shader brush with no color to blend and sweep away extra color). Then of course line the upper lid and lower lash line with black liner and finish with mascara. *Tip!* When doing a smokey eye, make sure to shade in your brows! It always looks weird seeing someone with an intense eye with no eyebrows! After the smoky eye I usually finish with some blush and a nude lipstick. If you are going super dark on the eyes you need to balance it with a lighter lip shade.

Amy's Makeup application tricks:

The key to making your makeup last throughout a long night of drinking and dancing is to apply primer before you do your makeup and to apply a finishing spray afer. My favorite primers areSmashbox Photo Finish Primerfor the face andSmashbox Photo Finish Lid Primerfor the eyes. Both even out skin tone and makeyour shadows and foundation go on more smoothly. I then finish my final look with 4 big sprays of Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray. This spray sets your makeup, similar to the way hairspray works on your updo. It prevents your look from fading our sliding throughout the day. I actually use it every day before work so I don’t have to reapply until happy hour.